October 3, 2004
RECOGNIZING CHRIST’S WORTH
Matthew 13:44-46
I sometimes wonder if I really know what it means to follow Christ. I find myself wanting to give my all for Jesus, but end up giving Him only a part. Too often my devotion is half-hearted instead of wholehearted like I want it to be. I’m double-minded when I want to be single-minded. I tell Jesus that I want to stay close to Him, but then find myself drifting away. I don’t know what your walk with God is like, but I suspect that at least some of you can identify with me.
Where does devotion to Jesus come from? What can move us into a deeper, more consistent, walk with God? What transforms an uncommitted person into a fully committed disciple? What turns half-hearted believers into whole hearted followers of Christ? We discover the answer to those questions in a couple of stories Jesus tells in Matthew 13:44-46. The stories aren’t long, but they are loaded with life-changing truth. We know these stories as The Parable of the Hidden Treasure and The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. Follow as I read Matthew 13:44-46. Jesus says, The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Jesus tells us two stories about two men absolutely committed to possessing something of great worth. One sells everything he has so he can possess a treasure he finds hidden in a field. The other cashes in all his belongings so he can own the most spectacular pearl he’s ever laid eyes on. Do you know what Jesus says? Jesus says, “That’s what the kingdom of heaven is like.” Jesus says, “Just like those two men were willing to give up everything they owned so they could possess that treasure and that pearl, your commitment to me must be greater than your commitment to anything else on earth.” Do you possess that kind of overwhelming hunger to possess Jesus? Where’s that kind of hunger come from? What makes people like you and me fully committed followers of Christ?
It starts with a discovery. In these parables it all begins when one man discovers a treasure hidden in a field and when another man discovers a pearl of great worth. The principle is so simple I hardly need to state it—commitment to Christ begins when we discover Him.
One thing these parables teach us is that different people discover the truth about Jesus in different ways. In the first parable we find a man who isn’t even looking for treasure. He just stumbles onto it. He’s walking along minding his own business and finds the treasure in a field by accident. It’s exactly opposite of what happens in the parable of the pearl. There we find a merchant who has spent his entire life searching for that perfect pearl that he ultimately finds.
Isn’t that the way it is with Christ? Some of you here today had no intention of ever following Christ. For a good part of your life you didn’t think about God. You didn’t care about God. You were just living life minding your own business. Then, wham! The truth about Jesus hit you up the side of the head. The good news about Jesus unexpectedly broke into your life and you were forever changed. You weren’t looking God. But God was looking for you.
On the other hand, some of us had a different experience. It seems that some people are just born with an acute spiritual longing. Like that merchant visiting one market after another in search of the perfect pearl, you searched for God. Maybe you went from one philosophy to another or from one religion to another. Then one day somebody told you about Jesus and you discovered that peace with God isn’t about religion. It’s about a relationship. It’s not about works. It’s about grace. It’s about personal faith in Christ. Your search was over. You finally found what you were looking for.
It’s like we said. Different people discover the truth about Jesus in different ways. Some are born into Christian families. Some hear the truth from Christian friends. Some come to know about Christ through hardship and trials. Some hear the truth on TV. It doesn’t matter. The point is, absolute commitment to Christ can’t happen unless you somehow discover Him. You can’t possess a treasure you never find.
But finding treasure is only the first step. It’s not enough to simply discover Jesus. Commitment requires us to recognize His great worth. In verse 46 Jesus tells us that when the merchant found his pearl, he recognized what many people never saw. He recognized that the pearl he was looking at was a pearl of great value. I wonder, how many people see Jesus and never recognize His worth?
One day, when my son was in kindergarten, he came home from school and told my wife, “I found a dollar in the street.” She said, “That’s great, where is it.” My son said, “I left it there there, I’ll get it tomorrow.” In the end, do you know who got that dollar? Some other kid who recognized its worth. That’s the way it is with Jesus. A life of absolute commitment to Christ doesn’t happen just because we discover the truth about Jesus. Commitment only happens when we recognize His worth. This is where I fear most of us just don’t get it. We don’t really recognize the infinite worth of Christ. If we did, I promise, none of us would have any problem with absolute commitment to Him.
Let’s just be honest. On a day to day basis, we too often value other things more than we value Jesus. Let’s talk about a big one—the approval of our friends. Why do we so often value the approval of other people more than we value Jesus? Does that really make sense? Think about it. Why do we care so much about what our friends think when, in general, our friends really aren’t any smarter than we are? More important, when the end of your life comes, it’s not your friends you’re going to answer to. You’re friends won’t be the ones who determine whether you end up in heaven or in hell. And here’s something else—not one of your friends love you like Jesus loves you. Not one of your friends suffered and died on a cross for you. Not one of your friends conquered death. Not one of your friends can forgive you and save you from your sin. So why do we value the approval of our friends more than we value Jesus? Why do we follow the crowd?
Then there’s physical beauty or physical strength. Why is physical beauty of such great worth to so many? In the end physical beauty gets all wrinkled. Physical strength ultimately fades away. And no amount of implanting, lifting, and “lipo-sucking” can change that.
Then of course there’s sex. For so many, all kinds of immorality and illicit sex has become a thing of great worth. People even find their identity in the kind of sex they enjoy. There life revolves around it. Well, if immorality and illicit sex is of such great worth, why do so many who engage in it end up feeling cheap or guilty or used. How is it that this thing so valued brings so much disease and sorrow when God intended it to bring joy? Is sex whenever you want it and however you want it really of greater worth than Jesus?
And how can we forget money? You know, money. That’s the stuff we can never have too much of. No matter how much we get, we still want more. It really can’t buy happiness. It really doesn’t satisfy. I could go on and talk about worldly status and comfort and personal peace. How easy it is to value these things—but how blind we can be to the greater worth of Jesus.
Have you recognized the great worth of Jesus? Do we really understand the treasure He is? Every one of us here today deserves to suffer forever in hell. Do you understand that? Do you believe that about yourself? Jesus rescues us. In Christ we get forgiveness. We get heaven. What’s that worth to you? In Christ we get adopted into God’s family. Because of Jesus, God Himself becomes your Father. Through faith you become His son. You become His daughter. What’s that worth to you? Tell me, who loves you like God loves you in Christ? In Christ, God loves you just like you are. He gives meaning to your life. He gives joy. He gives peace. He gives security and strength and comfort. He gives you a future in a world that never ends. He gives forgiveness instead of judgment. Life instead of death. What’s the value of all that? What’s Jesus worth to you.
What happens inside someone when they discover Jesus and recognize His worth? Joyful determination happens. When you recognize the worth of Jesus, you become joyfully determined to possess Him no matter what! Listen one more time to Matthew 13:44-46. Jesus says, The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Sometimes we get it so wrong. We talk about all the sacrifices we have to make for Jesus. Here’s what we all need to see. In this parable there’s no sacrifice at all. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought the field.
How is it possible for someone to give up everything they possess with laughter and joy? What would it mean for you to get rid of everything you own? Dump the cars, the furniture, the boat, the entertainment center, the Harley, the jewelry and the big-screen. Empty the bank accounts. How would it feel? Would the day you dumped it all be a happy day? Would you laugh? You’re darn right you would! You would, that is, if you knew that what you were about to receive was of far greater value than what you gave up. Let me put it like this. Would you call trading someone a beat-up ‘72 Ford Pinto for a brand new Mercedes-Benz a sacrifice?
Listen to what Jesus is telling us here. The kingdom of heaven isn’t about losing or suffering or ending up with the short end of the stick. The kingdom of heaven is about making a killer deal. It’s about the best trade you’ll ever make. The kingdom of heaven is about trading hell for heaven. It’s about trading death for life. It’s about trading temporary trinkets for eternal riches. It’s about trading bondage for freedom. It’s about trading shame for joy. It’s about trading rejection for acceptance. It’s about trading your fear and emptiness for the love that never disappoints. The kingdom of heaven is infinite treasure. The kingdom of heaven is the pearl of great price. And only when we recognize that will our commitment to Christ become absolute commitment.
How does devotion to Jesus grow? When does giving all become a joy? Without doubt, it begins with our discovery of Christ. But mere discovery is never enough. We must recognize his worth. Only when we see that the value of Jesus far exceeds the value of anything we have on earth will we give it all so we can possess Him. Those who recognize the value of Jesus joyfully surrender all to Him.
I don’t know what you’re hanging onto today. I don’t know what’s of great worth to you. Maybe it’s money. Maybe it’s control. Maybe it’s some pet sin you think you just can’t live without. What ever it is, know this—it’s not worth what He’s worth. Not even close. Discover Jesus. Recognize his worth. Don’t you see the treasure He is to you? Isn’t it time for some real joy in your life. Isn’t it time to give your life to Him?
